Hafele India made a remarkable presence at Acetech 2024, a prestigious exhibition known for highlighting the latest advancements in architecture, design, and technology. As a leader in home and commercial solutions, Hafele's participation underscored its commitment to transforming living and workspaces through intelligent, versatile, and functional innovations. Centered around its brand purpose, “Maximizing the Value of Space. Together,” Hafele’s booth provided visitors with an immersive experience, showcasing products designed to elevate everyday spaces. The booth highlighted the company’s vision to integrate functionality, style, and efficiency into modern living environments.

An Immersive Showcase of Innovation and Purpose

This year’s exhibition revolved around Hafele’s philosophy of creating environments that are functional, atmospheric, and organized to meet evolving modern lifestyles. Endorsed by Hafele’s esteemed brand ambassador, Sachin Tendulkar, the booth offered an inviting journey through various spaces, each thoughtfully designed to demonstrate how Hafele’s solutions maximize the potential of every room— from kitchens and living rooms to workspaces.

Frank Schloeder, Managing Director, Hafele South Asia, expressed his enthusiasm about the event and Hafele’s continuous growth in India. “India is an incredibly dynamic and promising market full of opportunities,” he said. “Hafele has experienced remarkable growth here, and we’re excited about the potential for further expansion. Acetech 2024 gives us a great platform to showcase our innovative products and further demonstrate our capabilities as a brand.”

A Sneak Peek into Hafele’s Innovations at Acetech 2024

Hafele unveiled a diverse array of products designed to meet modern consumer demands for quality, innovation, and style. Here’s a closer look at the standout solutions:

Luxury Appliances: 

• ASKO Style Series Laundry Solution: A complete range of laundry solutions featuring sleek, solid steel panels for a sophisticated look.
• Falmec’s Shelf 120 Cookerhood: A slim, innovative cookerhood that won the 2023 Germany Design Award, combining compact design with high suction capacity.

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• Premium Appliances:

• Teresa Cookerhoods: Featuring Filter-Free technology, these cookerhoods offer a sustainable, low-noise solution for Indian households.
• Cronus Digi-Step Hob: Equipped with Digital Multi Timers and Graduated Flame Technology for precise cooking control.
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• Small Kitchen Appliances:

• Magnus Cold Pressed Juicer: Retains maximum nutrients through its slower juicing process.
• U-Kaffee Plus Coffee Machine: Brewing the perfect espresso, cappuccino, or latte—ideal for home baristas.

Lighting Solutions:

• One Cable: A seamless furniture lighting solution designed for easy integration into cabinets.
• R One Architectural Light: A plug-and-play light with glare-free output and Bluetooth Mesh networking.
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• Kitchen Fittings:

• MatrixBox Premium Drawer Systems: Featuring Push-to-open technology for modern, aesthetically pleasing kitchen storage.
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• Vauth Sagel Flex Larder System: A flexible, modular storage system to maximize cabinet space.

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• Surfaces and Water Solutions:

• Terra Surfaces: A Quartz-dominated range available in 27 contemporary colors.
• Blanco Range of Silgranit Kitchen Sinks: Combining design excellence and superior functionality.
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• Q&A with Hafele’s Leadership
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To gain a deeper understanding of Hafele’s vision and its innovative solutions, Gurbir Singh Gulati, Editor-in-Chief, IFAB Media (infashionbusiness.com) had an exclusive interview with Frank Schloeder, Managing Director, Hafele South Asia, and Piyush Pawa, Assistant General Manager of Smart & Lighting at Hafele India Pvt Ltd. During this in-depth conversation, the company shared detailed insights into its growth strategy, product innovations, and future plans. Below is a summary of their key takeaways:

Pic: Frank Schloeder, Managing Director, Hafele South Asia 

Could you share your thoughts on your transition to Hafele and your experience so far?

Frank Schloeder: It has been an exciting transition. After spending many years in the automotive industry, particularly with BMW, moving to home interiors has been a significant shift. While the industries are different, they share similarities, especially in catering to a premium market. Hafele has successfully established itself as a lifestyle brand, and my journey here has been very fulfilling.

How has Hafele adapted to the Indian market after 20 years in India?

Frank Schloeder: The key to our success in India has been understanding the local consumer. We started with furniture fittings and expanded into areas like kitchenware and interior solutions. With a growing middle class and increasing demand for quality products, India offers tremendous growth potential.

What are Hafele’s plans for 2025 and beyond? Will there be new collaborations or entry into new segments?

Frank Schloeder: In the next few years, one of our key priorities is increasing local sourcing. Currently, India contributes about 10% of our sourcing, but we aim to increase that to 30% by the end of next year. Our focus will also be on expanding our furniture and lighting offerings while continuing to drive innovation.

How does Hafele plan to expand in the digital locks and smart lighting market?

Frank Schloeder: The digital locks market is growing rapidly, particularly in residential spaces. We’ve already launched digital locks for residential use and are innovating with smart cabinet locking systems using fingerprint technology. Our smart lighting solutions, integrated with smart home technology, are also expanding.

Can you elaborate on Hafele’s approach to lighting and how you’re integrating it with smart home technology?

Frank Schloeder: We began in furniture lighting a decade ago and have expanded to offer compatibility with smart home systems like DALI and Zigbee. Our goal is to provide solutions that integrate seamlessly into existing systems, without becoming a full-fledged smart home company.

Piyush Pawa, could you share more details on Hafele’s lighting solutions for retail spaces?

Piyush Pawa: We’re creating lighting solutions specifically designed for high-end retail environments. Our focus is on accurate color rendering and enhancing the overall retail experience. Our products are built with specifications like CRI (Color Rendering Index), ensuring that colors are rendered correctly under our lighting solutions.

How does Hafele cater to the needs of Indian customers while maintaining its German quality standards?

Frank Schloeder: Quality is central to Hafele’s brand. We collaborate with local suppliers to ensure quality while expanding our sourcing network. The Make in India initiative has enabled us to enhance local manufacturing, ensuring that we maintain the global quality standards Hafele is known for.

What are your thoughts on the growing demand for smart home solutions in India?

Frank Schloeder: The demand for smart home solutions is growing, particularly in lighting, digital locks, and home automation. The market is expanding rapidly, and we are excited to offer the latest in smart home technologies to meet this demand.

Conclusion

Hafele’s participation in Acetech 2024 was a resounding success, showcasing the company’s dedication to innovation, quality, and customer-centric design. With a focus on transforming everyday spaces through cutting-edge technology and design, Hafele continues to lead the market in creating solutions that meet the evolving needs of modern living. As the company looks to the future, its commitment to providing functional, stylish, and efficient products will undoubtedly shape the next generation of home and commercial interiors.

In terms of growth and ambitions, Hafele India is on an impressive trajectory. Currently at a turnover of 1200 crores, the company has experienced exponential growth in India, doubling its business every five years—a stark contrast to Europe, where growth happens at a slower pace. “We have strong expectations from India, which boasts a GDP growth of 7%, with significant growth in both the organized and residential sectors,” said Schloeder. “We are a company that thrives on organic growth, and every vertical we operate in has the potential to grow. Our goal is to double our turnover in India in the next five years, reflecting the immense opportunities this market holds.”